Step-on-can



Nov. 14, 1961 Filed Jan. 21, 1960 A. E. GARNER 3,008,604

STEP-oN-CAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 72 6 INVENToR. 6@ ABEL E. GARNI-:R

'Y --I BY 52.27' 9.5. 6D f" am NOV. 14, 1961 A, E, GARNER 3,008,604

STEP-ON-CAN Filed Jan. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. AE EL E. GARN E R Arran?? United States Patent O This invention relates generally to containers and more particularly to a portable can for receiving waste products.

A primary object of thepresent invention is to provide a can that is ideal for use in a kitchen, bathroom, nursery,

workroom, professional oice and the like for receiving the waste products thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can for receiving waste products, -with an easy foot-actuated openable cover.

A further object is to provide a can of this kind that has a liner serving as a removable and easily cleanable inner pail and serving as a noise deadening device.

It is also an object to provide a can of this kind with a built-in deodorizer.

It is also proposed to provide a can of this kind that is sanitary, noiseless, odorless, stainless, watertight, seamless, unbreakable, attractive and deluxe in appearance,

space saving, simple and rugged in construction and that can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost. Y For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a can embodying one form of my invention, the cover being shown in closed condition.

FIG. 2 is a similar View showing the cover in open condition, and showing a human foot in cover-opening position.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5'-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan View.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 4, the inner pail being omitted.

FIG. 8 is a spread perspective view showing the inner pail preparatory to insertion into the can, on a larger scale.

FIG. 9 is a similar view of a can embodying a moditied form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown a can made in accordance with one form of my invention and designated .generally by the reference numeral 10. The can 10 is rectangular in configuration and cross section with square corners and is preferably formed of sheet metal. The hollow body of the can is formed with a plane front wall 12, rear Wall 14 and side walls 16 and 18, the walls being integrally formed. The body is open top and bottom. The tops of the walls are formed with a continuous inwardly extending ange 20 and the bottoms of the walls are formed with a similar ange 22.

The open top of the body is adapted to be closed by a movable lid or cover 24 preferably formed of metal with a chrome nish. The lid is fastened to the top edge of the rear wall 14 =by means of a piano hinge connection 26. The body of the lid is slightly curved and is formed with a front flange 28 having va curled edge 30,

FPice a rear flange 32 having a curled edge 34 and with curled end or side edges 36, 36. The curled edges are continuous.v The lid is dimensioned to cover and close the open top of the body of the can, the curled edges seating on the top ange 20. The hinge connection 26 includes a metal strip 38 secured to the rear ilange 32 formed into knuckles 40 and a metal strip 42 secured to the top edge of rear wall 14 and formed into interlocking knuckles 44. A hinge pin 46 extends through the interlocked knuckles.

Mechanism for lifting the lid 24 olf of the top of the can by foot actuation is also provided. This mechanism includes a round elongated rod 50 disposed inside the body of the can and poistioned in one corner between the walls 14 and 16 and extending from the bottom of the can to a point slightly above the top thereof. At its bottom, the rod is formed with an extension 52 extending perpendicularly of the plane of the body of the rod and along the rear wall 1'4 but slightly spaced therefrom and spaced slightly upwardly from the bottom edge of the rear wall. The top end of the rod is flattened and pivotally secured to a pivot pin 54 projecting from a bracket 56 secured to the rear `ilange 32. of the lid 24 at the adjacent end edge 36 of the lid.

An elongated rectangular pedal plate 58 of metal with transverse corrugations S9 on its outer surface and with a chrome finish is pivotally mounted in a latwise condition at the bottom of the can, slightly spaced upwardly from the bottom end thereof. The plate is supported by a pair of spaced bars `60, l60 extending diagonally across the space between the front and rear wall 12 and 14, respectively, at the bottom ends thereof. One end of the bars 601, 60 are Vsupported by inwardly extending 'anges 62, 62 formed on the end edges of a rectangularshaped opening 64 formed in the front wall 12 of the body of the can adjacent the bottom end thereof. The other end of the bars extend through slots 6d, 66 formed in the rear wall 14 of the body of the can at a plane slightly lower than the plane of the front end of the bars. The plate 5'8 is formed with depending side flanges 68 and with depending end llanges 70, the ilanges being continuous. The plate is pivotally `connected to the bars `60, 60 -by means of pivot pins 72 extending through holes in the side flanges 68 and in aligned holes in the bars. The inner end of the plate is connected to the actuating rod 50 by reason of the extension 52 thereof passing loosely through aligned holes in the side flanges y68 of the plate. Annular member 53 may be secured on extension 52 adjacent one of the bars 66 to prevent displacement of the pedal plate 58. The plate extends through the opening 64 outwardly of the front wall so that the plate can fbe readily tilted by placing the toe of the foot 74 of the user upon the protruding portion thereof and exerting downward foot pressure thereupon. When the plate is thus tilted downwardly at the front, the rear of the plate will raise the actuating rod 50 upwardly and the rod in turn will lift the lid 24 to open position as shown in FIG. 2. Upon release of the foot pressure, the lid will fall by gravity onto the top of the can again closing the top of the can.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a removable liner for the can in the form of an inner iiexible, noiseless, unbreakable, rustless, watertight, stainless pail 80, best shown in FIG. 8. Pail is formed of suitable plastic sheet material vsuch as polyethylene, and comprises a hollow body substantially rectangular in configuration and cross section with square corners, tapering downwardly and inwardly. The body includes a front wall 82, rear wall 84, side walls 86 and 88 and a bottom wall 9i). The top of the body is open and is provided with a continuous outwardly extending peripheral-flange 92. The body of the pail is of shorter dimensions than the body of the can whereby space is provided between the pail and can on all sides and bottom of the pail. A bail-shaped metal handle 94 is pivotally connected to the top of the can by means of pivot pins 96 extending through holes in the ends ofthe handle and through aligned holes in the top ends of the fro-nt and rear walls 82 and 84, respectively, at the centers thereof. The crosspiece of the handle is bent midway its ends forming a square-shaped loop extension 98 adapted to engage the tops of a pair of spaced ribs 160 on the side walls 6 and 88 of the pail adjacent their top ends thereby limiting the inward swing of the handle, in both directions. The ribs also strengthen the side walls of the body of the pail. i

The pail 8) is adapted to be itted into the can 10 by inserting the same through the open top -as shown in FIG. 8. rIhe pail is suspended from the ilange or rim 2t? of the can by reason of its outer flange or rim 92 seating thereupon. The material of the pail is cut away as indicated at 162 along the corner between the rear wall 84 and side wall 86 providing a clearance for the actuating rod Sil. When `the lid 24 is open, the pail can readily be lifted out of the can by means of the handle 94 and the contents thereof removed. When the lid falls by gravity to closing position, it strikes the flange or rim 92. on the pail thereby deadening the noise of the closing action.

The present invention also contemplates providing a built-in deodorizer on the inner surface of the lid 24 in order to kill any odor emanating from the contents of the inner pail Si); For this purpose, a bracket 104 of spring metal is secured to the lid midway the ends of the rear flange 32 thereof. The bracket has a ribbon-like body 1% bent transversely adjacent one end to form a loop end 16S secured to the ilange 32 by rivets 110 whereby the body of the bracket is closely spaced from the body of the lid 24 as shown in FIG. 7 but inclined slightly towards the lid. The other end of the ribbon body is bent outwardly of the lid at a slant, as indicated at 112, the material of the bracket being slotted forming an instruct lug 114- extending inwardly toward the lid Z4. A shallow circular metal ilanged dish 116 having a central slot 117 in its base and containing a removable cake H8 of deodorizing material such as chlorophyll is yieldingly slipped between the bracket 104 and the lid 24 et clamps the dish with the cake removablyin place as shown in FIG. 7.

The modified form of can 10' shown in FIG. 9 differs from the form of can 10 in that the actuating rod Sii" is positioned centrally of the can instead of at the side so that the horizontal extension 52 on the bottom of the rod extends axially of the pedal plate 58' passing through an opening in the inner end flange '70 thereof whereby movement ofthe plate is imparted to the rod. The inner pail used with this can has an indented Portion 120 extending down centrally of its rearV wall 14. In all other respects the can 10" is similar to the can 16 and similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.

While I have illustrated and described the preferredzlembodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I `do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made Within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Latters Patent In a portable can for waste products having a ilanged hinge cover, a bracket for supporting a cake of deodorant material, said bracket comprising a ribbon-shaped metal body bent at one end perpendicularly to the plane of the body, said bent end being fastened to the inner surface of the flange portion of the hinged cover with the body of the bracket positioned spaced from but parallel to the body of the hinged cover, the other end of the body of the bracket formed with a slanting instruck lug extending inwardly toward the body of the hinged cover for engagement with a container for a cake of deodorant material. v

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,147,139 Bigman et al. Feb. 14, 1939 2,434,238 Wolfson Ian. 6, 1948 2,456,840 Rogers et al Dec. 2l, 1948 2,946,474 Knapp July 26, 1960 

